TIGHT DEFENSE—Southeastern’s Brandon Fortenberry is closely guarded by Jackson State’s Phillip Williams in the Lions’ 70-51 victory Saturday. SLU will face a tough defense when it travels to undefeated Minnesota tonight. By John Lenz

The high temperature in Minneapolis Monday was expected to be 4 degrees with the low around 8 below.

Southeastern will look to have a similar chilling effect on one of the hottest teams in the country when the Lions visit Minnesota at 8 p.m. tonight in Williams Arena.

The Golden Gophers, in their second year under former Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith, are off to a 10-0. Minnesota is coming off a 70-64 of then-ninth ranked Louisville in the Stadium Shootout at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Saturday.

The victory was typical of a Smith-coached team as Minnesota held Louisville to 37 percent shooting and 64 points, 16 below their season average. The Golden Gophers have allowed more than 70 points in a game just twice and are limiting their opponents to 38.1 percent from the field.

"He (Smith) has a talented group and they always believe that they are a great unit," Southeastern head coach Jim Yarbrough said. "They play as a team. They are not the kind of team that typically beats you by 20 in a scoring affair like 80-60. They kind of beat you by constricting you defensively. They beat people 60-40. They are a good team playing super team defense."

Yarbrough said he believes Minnesota will provide the most challenging man-to-man defense the Lions will see this season.

"We're going to have to really concentrate," Yarbrough said. "It will be a tremendous test for us to see if we can hang in there. We can play with Minnesota, but we will have to play a very good brand of basketball — taking care of it, no silly turnovers, being strong with the basketball and not wilting under that relentless man-to-man body up-type defense."

Lawrence Westbrook, who missed most of the first half against Louisville due to foul trouble, leads the Golden Gophers with 12.8 points per game. Damian Johnson averages 10.7 points per game. Point guard Al Nolen, who had a team-high 18 points Saturday, averages 9.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game to go along with a team-best 60 assists and 26 steals. Colton Iverson is the leading rebounder with 4.4 boards per contest.

Southeastern (6-4) is coming off back-to-back home wins over Millsaps (85-56) and Jackson State (70-51) last week. The Lions held Millsaps to 42 percent and Jackson State to 34 percent shooting from the field. But the Lions also allowed Jackson State to cut a 16-point deficit to six with 7:32 left to play after the Tigers turned up the pressure on defense.

"Two things are my concern," Yarbrough said. "We had a tremendous defensive performance against Jackson State and really held them in check, but there are times when we back off of that or if we are frustrated on offense, I think it dilutes our defense and that can never happen. A mature team finds a way to win even if it is just in a defensive struggle.

"The other thing that has bothered me is our turnovers and our inability to get into a consistent offense when we need it. Those mental mistakes — if you get out of control, if you can't get a good shot, if you turn the ball over too much, the inability to be poised on the offensive end — is exactly what Minnesota turns into scoring opportunities and that is how they win ballgames."

Lions center Patrick Sullivan received Southland Conference Player of the Week honorable mention honors after scoring18 points and recording 12 rebounds against Jackson State and 11 points against Millsaps.

This will be the second meeting of the two teams. Minnesota won at home, 63-61, during the 2006-07 season.

Tonight's game will be the first of three straight road games that will serve as a litmus test of where Southeastern stands going into Southland Conference play. The Lions will be at Auburn next Wednesday and LSU the following Saturday before opening SLC play at Lamar Jan. 10.

"We will be battle tested," Yarbrough said. "Going into Lamar, which is typically a very good environment, on opening night will not be any harder than going into any of these other places and playing in front of big crowds and talented players. It's a good way to toughen us up and yet I feel we can compete in all of these games. But we're going to have to stay healthy and we are going to have to become a consistent ballclub. Hopefully we can. That's the goal. It will really test us mentally. This game in particular, because it's a very physical, good defensive club in Minnesota."